path of the leader

Initial Brief

PCs

Debrief

Kjell has a tablet which indicates the final resting place of the Leader. In discussion with Vincent, they establish that the Cargans once held detailed accounts of all the estates of the various nobles families, and that these documents are now held in the Graves’ libraries. A quick journey over to one of the smaller Graves estates and the party convince the young Melissa Graves to allow them into the Library, in exchange they agree to provide a favour later. A quick jaunt into the library and they quickly find the book they came for, although at the same time triggering some sort of Wyvern-based security system they have to fight through. On their way out they consider having words with Melissa about the lack of wyvern-based warnings, but the guards seem less than keen to let the blood covered adventurers back in front of Melissa and everyone decides that just leaving will be simpler.

Passing through the flux, the party encounter a number of aggressive trees, a number of very aggressive trees shaped like spiders, and a Serradic scouting force. They manage to deal with each of them in turn, although the Serradic scouting force provides some concern as one of their number disappears and appears, takes on the appearance of members of the party, and at one point takes on the appearance of Allyssa the Tender, before Vincent cuts his throat. The party identify him as a priest of the Jubilant Mask, uncovering a mask amulet around his neck, a pen which does not write, and an empty book. Ricardo manages to identify the use of some sort of invisible ink, although not the type. Considering the possibility that it is some sort of divine effect, Kjell summons the power of the Leader and dispels all lies within the areas, causing the book to burn (and not go out). Kjell decides to make use of a Veil potion while breathing in the smoke of the book, and sees a vision of a man who he interprets as the Jubilant Mask dancing around generations of people, until something changes and the man is forced to dance within some greater framework. Less Jubilant.

Eventually the party find another group of people. The meeting is initially tense, and tensions only increase when it becomes apparent that they haven’t had any contact with outsiders since before the upheaval. However, the two groups seemingly warm up to each other and happily fight back to back when two giant snakes come bursting from the undergrowth, attempting to devour them. Following the snake attack, the two groups head quickly back to the Salic Estate, where they are introduced to the other residents of the estate. After a quick meal and discussion with the residents of the Salic estate, including Kieran Salic, Lucian Salic, and Jensato Cargan. While the residents learn of the new political situation in Acryn, the party learn of the defences around the mausoleum: a set of four statues who will come to life and remove any intruders from the area. Interestingly, the statues ignore children, and the party is able to get some information about the layout of the inside of the mausoleum from those who have been in there before.

As the party attempt to enter the mausoleum, and the statues move to intercept. Ragnar storms through, getting beaten to the floor as Vincent heals him. The two statues identified as the Tender and the Warrior stand down, leaving just the Builder and Leader. Ragnar continues to state that he will not let these statues prevent him from getting through, as they once again beat him into the floor. Samuel proceeds to attack the statues, although they appear to be immune to all the power of the Warrior he can throw at them. Eventually, the party attempt to make the remaining two stand down with displays of creation and leadership, which succeeds and the party pass through unmolested. Inside the party investigate the tombs, finding one which appears to be the Leader’s corpse. Inside they find a masterpiece of a rapier which feels like the gaze of the gods itself rests upon it, but little else. They experiment with ways to get the Leader’s attention, seemingly to no avail. With nothing else to do, Kjell cuts open the corpse’s skull and takes a look at the brain, discovering a mind which implies it had been a particularly potent individual in life, more so than the other “gods” Kjell has had the opportunity to view. Eventually, the party conclude that this is nothing more than a corpse -that there is no element of the leader here- and decide to leave. The moment they do both Kjell and Ragnar feel a knife slice across their throats, with the room around them growing darker and the tomb brighter, until the world falls away and is replaced by another.

The party find themselves in a port city, very different from Acryn. Across the mouth of the port sits a wide stone circle, and in the distance upon a hill sits a palace. As the party get their bearings, the locals notice them and attack, unhappy with the presence of foreigners. While the numbers are problematic, the locals themselves provide little resistance and the party press forwards to the Palace. There they find themselves besieged by Guards, and then swarms of Ravens. Finally, they enter the presence of the Leader. Vincent is first to speak with him, asking for guidance for the future of Acryn, which he is happy to provide so long as Vincent carries a white flame to Keiran Salic. Next Ragnar speaks, and generally speaking pisses the leader off, he is escorted out and has his devotion stripped from him. Next Kjell confronts the Leader, asking him to accept that his time is over and to let Acryn choose its own fate. The Leader however, is unwilling to listen to Kjells words, claiming that no-one who has chosen to side with the betrayer has any right to lecture him. Kjell talks about Acryn’s achievements, while the Leader claims Acryn is an abysmal failure by comparison to what it should have been. Eventually the Leader has had enough, rips something from Kjell, and orders him out. Finally Samuel offers to continue to act as the Leader’s right hand, much as he believes the Warrior did in life. The offer is accepted, and both Samuel and Vincent leave with the Leaders blessings.

The party meet back at their arrival point near the port, and attempt to return to the Mausoleum, passing through a place of darkness and horror. They are promptly attacked by whatever it is that dwells in that place, but manage to fight it off relatively quickly. Once returned, Ragnar and Samuel have a falling out about whether the Leader’s rapier should be removed from his resting place. Ragnar makes it clear that he will not relinquish the Rapier, and that Samuel will need to resort to violence if he plans to take the rapier from him. Samuel is quick to comply. However, Ragnar now knows the location of the Rapier and the secret to passing through the defenses which guard it.

Vincent speaks with Kieran alone, asking him to return to the city and giving him the flame which the Leader entrusted to him. The flame briefly covers him, before forming a 7 pointed crown of fire, before winking out completely. It seems Kieran’s demeanor has now changed, seemingly more confident but also with an occasional darkness in his eyes. Kieran happily agrees to return to the city and take his place on the council.

Following his experience, Kjell can feel the leader’s power becoming harder and harder to access, and knows that he will soon be unable to access any of the leader’s power. Unwilling to submit to the Leader’s plans for him, Kjell calls his church together for one final service. Calling upon the leader, he talks about the fiact that the Leader’s time has passed and that Acryn must start searching for a new Leader (who will soon come). As he uses the last vestiges of his access to the Leader’s power he burns away, letting the ideas he has shared enter the minds of those receptive to them. As everything goes black he hears a female voice “Are you ready for your deserved reward? Or are you willing to continue serving Acryn?”, as Kjell answers yes, every mention of him in his book of deeds vanishes. In the days which follow, the Church of the Leader undergoes a huge schism. Already weakened from internal disagreements around Faria Carver’s involvement with the Cargans, and number of smaller Churches break away from the orthodoxy. Many (although not all) arguing that the ideal of the Leader is more important than his will, with many of them believing that a successor exists within the world, waiting to be found.

Long term effects

Ragnar Thane is now an excommunicant.

Vincent and Samuel can both buy Divine Favour (Leader).

Both Vincent and Samuel have been blessed by the Leader, to be capable of receiving “Guidance”. Once per an adventure, they may spend 5 minutes meditating to gain insight into how best to support Acryn (the GM should provide them with some some direction as to how best to proceed in order to achieve goals in line with supporting Acryn, and specifically a Royalist Acryn if relevant). Additionally, if an adventure has a possibility of effecting the city in a large fashion, they will have received some warning of this in the form of revelatory visions (essentially if character is playing then GMs must provide a clue to the importance of the adventure, but can hide the nature of the adventure with as much portentious imagery as they wish).